Applying to CSU MSW: Will I get in with this experience?

[Missguid3d]

Hi all! I am going into my senior year at CSU Sacramento this August, my major is social work. I plan to start applying for CSU MSW programs once they open sometime in November, however I feel that I won't have enough experience to get in.

Stats

Cumulative GPA: 3.2--average

Experience: 144 hours working with adults with developmental disabilities by application time, 192 hours of interning with families explaining resources and services for an agency. Also have 60 hours from last year of volunteering at the food bank as an administrative assistant/cal-fresh assistant.

I plan on applying to: CSULB, CSUEB, CSUS, CSUF, and CSUN. Any tips about the application process at all would be helpful. Thank you!

Any other CSU BSW's rn preparing to apply?

[jasong723]

So my uncle is a tenure professor at CSULB.  He says the most important thing is work history. Keep in mind social work is very board and it looks like you have great work history.  I know people in my program with less to no history, but A LOT are from DCFS but they are older mid to late 30s trying to get a degree as opposed to fresh outta undergrad.  For work experience, most of mine was in the medical field at a gero psych hospital and psych office.

Try to have a strong personal statement. I would look up the NASW code of ethics and go off that too.   Include things like Critical race theory (personal narrative with difficulties faced, intersectionality, what motivates you to become a social worker seems to be a popular one.   I'm a MSW student at CSUDH.  I applied twice to CSULB and got wait listed twice.  I applied once to CSUF and got an interview but didn't get in.

My undergrad was at UCI in Criminology, Law and Society.  I had a 3.3 GPA.  I transferred so at junior college my GPA was terrible. 2.9  I think they only count the upper division courses though.  Keep your options open regarding part time programs as well. It's a year longer but you can work fulltime the first year still.  CSUN has a online program and so does USC.  My school has A LOT of USC grads as professors, one professor says he got in with 2. something but was on some type of academic probation. USC just went through a huge scandal that their MSW program so they may accept people.  If you would like, I can email my personal statements.  I wanted to apply to San Jose State and CSUEB but couldn't relocate because of family.  Oh. CSULA (East Los Angeles) is an easier one to get into.  In So Cal I think CSULB CSUF CSUN have similar reputations in that pecking order. CSULA is lower and CSUDH is at the bottom.  Great thing about CSUDH is the diversity, you'll work with many black students, something you won't get at CSUN or CSUF.

Edited July 16, 2019 by jasong723
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